The Biden administration is set to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, with an official announcement expected as early as Tuesday, according to U.S. government sources who requested anonymity. The White House and the National Security Council have not yet issued any formal statements on the matter.
The decision, made by the outgoing Democratic administration, could however be swiftly overturned by the incoming Republican leadership. Donald Trump, who will be sworn in again as president on January 20, has long maintained a hardline stance against the Cuban regime. His pick for Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, a staunch opponent of the Castro government, shares this position. Rubio, the son of Cuban exiles who fled the island in the 1950s, has been a vocal advocate for sanctions against the communist government.
On Wednesday, Rubio is scheduled to appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for his confirmation hearing, where he is expected to address the issue among other things.
In January 2021, during the final days of his administration, Trump reinstated Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, reversing the historic thaw in relations initiated by Barack Obama. The Trump administration cited several reasons for the move, including Cuba’s support for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, its refusal to extradite wanted Colombian rebels, and its harboring of American fugitives.
Human rights groups, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, have urged the Biden administration to remove Cuba from the list. However, not everyone agrees with the decision. Texas Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has strongly condemned the move.
“Today’s decision is unacceptable on its merits,” Cruz said in a statement. “The Cuban regime continues to promote terrorism. I will work with President Trump and my colleagues to immediately reverse this harmful measure.”
